ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Second Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group meeting to begin tomorrow at Gandhinagar
130 delegates from G20 member countries along with 11 invitee countries to participate
130 delegates from G20 member countries along with 11 invitee countries and 14 international organizations will take part in the Second G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group  meeting at Gandhinagar. Starting from tomorrow, the three-day  meeting would focus on thematic areas like arresting land degradation, accelerating ecosystem restoration & enriching biodiversity; Encouraging resource efficiency and Circular economy and Promoting a sustainable and climate resilient Blue economy. Special presentations on major initiatives like Namami Gange, Climate Resilient Infrastructure, Participatory Ground Water Management, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission will also be made during the meeting. Smt. Darshana Vikram Jardosh, Union Minister of State , Government of India is expected to inaugurate the meeting on 28th March.
The delegates will get an opportunity to witness a mix of modernity and tradition during the excursions, organised as a part of the meeting. India's ancient water management practices will be demonstrated at the Adalaj Vav- Ancient Stepwell and India’s engineering prowess will be on display at the Sabarmati siphon. Delegates will also have an opportunity to experience Gujarat's vibrant cultural traditions through specially curated dance and music performances, and will also have the opportunity to taste the local cuisine during their visit.
The conference will commence with a side event on Water Resources Management led by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, where G20 member countries will make presentations on best practices on this subject. The final day will feature more technical sessions and a discussion on the outline of the final Ministerial Communique. This information was shared in a press conference today by Neelesh K Sah, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment Forests & Climate Change and Subodh Yadav, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Nameeta Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment Forests & Climate Change and Vivek Kapadia, Director, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd.
Various organizations under Ministry of Jal Shakti will also put up stalls on themes including Atal Bhujal Yojana, Swach Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, Namame Gange, Jal Shakti Abhiyan, National Water Mission etc during the meeting showcasing and sharing the high-quality work with the delegates.
The 2nd ECSWG meeting is a critical step in fostering the efforts of the G20 countries, invitee countries, and international organizations towards a sustainable and resilient future. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is committed to working with all stakeholders to drive outcomes under each of the priority areas, and to achieve a sustainable and resilient future for all.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Commission for Sub-Categorisation of OBCs
The Government has notified the latest extension of the Commission to examine the issues of sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes, by six months, till 31st July, 2020 vide a Gazette notification dated 27th January, 2020. The following terms of reference was added to the existing terms of reference of the Commission, notified vide Order S.O.3210  dated 2nd October 2017:
“To study the various Entries in the Central List of OBCs and recommend correction of any repetitions, ambiguities, inconsistencies and errors of spelling or transcription”.
This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Vice President's Secretariat
Vice President Shri Venkaiah Naidu recalls role of ‘Gurus’ including Shri Advani in moulding his life
Expresses gratitude to 57 Gurus on the eve of Guru Purnima tomorrow
Says Internet gives information but only Guru empowers with analysis and evaluation
Highlights the role of teachers in holistic development of students and nation building
Vice President of India Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu has conveyed gratitude and indebtedness to ‘Gurus’ including Shri L.K.Advani who shaped his perspectives and life at various stages of his long journey, on the occasion of Guru Purnima tomorrow.
Writing on Facebook, Shri Naidu recalled the mentoring and counseling received from 57 ‘Gurus’ including late Shri Tenneti Viswanatham, a freedom fighter and a leading politician during his early political life and Shri Advani later. Shri Naidu, who lost his mother when he was fifteen months old, described his grandparents as his first ‘Gurus’ and recalled by name another 55 teachers who influenced him during school, college and university days.
Playing glowing tributes to the role of ‘Guru’ in the holistic development of ‘shishyas’ including character building in the Indian tradition of ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara’, Shri Naidu urged the teachers to impart education with a personal touch in the present era of technology. He stressed that teachers have an important role in nation building through moulding of well rounded individuals imbibed with right kind of values and perspectives.
The Vice President underlined that the Internet can never be a substitute to the ‘Guru’. He said; “Internet may provide you with a world of information, but a teacher alone can instill the power of analyzing and evaluating skills which are deemed as higher order skills, which help in navigating through difficult times. Only the Guru can inculcate values, humane thinking, compassion and discipline among the disciples and shows the right path”.
Shri Naidu recalled with reverence the inspiring saga of Guru-Shishya relationship between Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda, who had different perspectives to begin with and how in due course Vivekananda came to attribute every bit of his being to the Guru.
Tracing the meaning of ‘Guru’ from Sanskrit roots as one who dispels  darkness , Shri Naidu wrote that “Life without a GURU’ is like a path without illumination.
Guru Purnima, celebrated on the occasion of the first full moon of the month of ‘Ashada’, is an important occasion to pay reverence to the Gurus. Veda Vyas, Lord Buddha and the 24th Jain Tirthankara were born this day. Buddha delivered his first sermon this day in Sarnath.
Shri Venkaiah Naidu urged all to recall the contributions of Gurus at various stages of their lives and express gratitude for the same on the occasion of ‘Guru Purnima’ tomorrow.
Prime Minister's Office
PM greets people on the occasion Rath Yatra
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the people on the occasion of Rath Yatra. Shri Modi has also shared a video of his views on the importance of Yatra in Indian culture, from recent Mann Ki Baat.
The Prime Minister tweeted;
"Greetings on the special day of Rath Yatra. We pray to Lord Jagannath for his constant blessings. May we all be blessed with good health and happiness.
Sharing what I had spoken about the Rath Yatra and the importance of a Yatra in our culture during the recent #MannKiBaat."
President's Secretariat
Rashtrapati Bhavan sets an Example by reducing Expenditure
Rashtrapati Bhavan to support Self-reliant India Movement through greater flow of resources towards Covid-19 relief measures
As a part of steps to make more resources available for Covid-19 relief measures, the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, after contributing one month’s salary to the PM-CARES Fund in March, has decided to forego 30 percent of his salary for a year.
The President has given instructions to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to set an example by economising the expenditure, making optimal usage of resources, and dovetailing the saved money to combat Covid-19 and mitigate the people’s economic plight. In the President’s estimation, this will be a small but significant contribution to realise the government’s vision of making India self-reliant  and energise the nation to take up the challenge to fight the pandemic and continue our journey for development and prosperity simultaneously. The Rashtrapati Bhavan will undertake the following measures to reduce its expenditure:
1. No new capital works will be taken up in FY 2020-21. Only the ongoing works will be completed.
2. Repair and maintenance work will be minimised to only ensure proper upkeep of assets.
3. There will be substantial reduction in the use of office consumables. For instance, the Rashtrapati Bhavan will use e-technology to cut down the use of paper to avoid wastage and make the office eco-friendly. Efforts will be made to save energy and fuel by rationalising their usage.
4. The President has decided to defer purchase of the Presidential Limousine which was to be used for ceremonial occasions. The existing resources of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Government will be shared and used for such occasions.
5. The domestic tours and programmes will be substantially reduced in order to follow the social distancing restrictions and minimise the expenditure that such exercises entail. Instead, the President will largely rely on technology to reach out to people.
6. Consumption during ceremonial occasions such as At-Home ceremonies and state banquets will be minimised by taking measures like:
a. Keeping smaller guest lists to maintain social distance,
b. Lesser usage of flowers and other items for decoration on such occasions, and
c. Reducing the food menu to the extent possible.
It is estimated that these measures will save nearly 20 percent of the budget of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the current financial year.
Meanwhile, it will be ensured that such austerity measures would have no adverse impact on support given to outsourced/contractual workers. Other activities taken up by the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the welfare of poor people will not be affected either.
Ministry of Finance
Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman attends virtual G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman participated virtually in the First G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors  meeting under the Italian Presidency here today to discuss policy actions for transformative and equitable recovery along with other issues on the agenda including global economic outlook, financial sector issues, financial inclusion and sustainable finance.
Smt. Sitharaman spoke about India’s policy response to the pandemic. The Finance Minister said that India’s domestic policies have been based broadly on supporting citizens through measures such as credit guarantees, direct transfers, food guarantees, economic stimulus packages and accelerating structural reform. Smt. Sitharaman also spoke about India’s vaccination programme, which is the world’s largest and the most ambitious vaccination drive. The Finance Minister also mentioned that India has extended vaccine support to several countries.
During this meeting, G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors also discussed the implications of climate change on global growth and financial stability. Speaking on the Presidency’s proposal to undertake systematic policy dialogue on climate risk and environment taxation, Smt. Sitharaman suggested that these conversations should remain within the ambit of Paris Agreement and should be based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibility, respective capability, and the voluntary nature of the commitments. The Finance Minister also stressed the importance of transfer of green technologies and scaling up of climate finance.
Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
Cabinet approves Revised Cost Estimate of Dam rehabilitation and Improvement Project
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Revised Cost Estimate of Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project  at the revised cost of Rs 3466 crore with the financial assistance of the World Bank to improve safety and operational performance of 198 Dams, along with institutional strengthening with system wide management approach. Out of Rs.3,466 crore, Rs.2,628 crore will be funded by the World Bank and Rs.747 crore will be funded by DRIP States / Implementing Agencies  and balance Rs.91 crore to be funded by Central Water Commission .
The CCEA also gave its ex-post facto approval for two-year time extension from 1st July, 2018 to 30th June, 2020
Impact:
The project will improve the safety and operational performance of selected existing dams and mitigate risks to ensure safety of downstream population and property. The primary beneficiaries are both urban and rural communities dependent on reservoir and downstream communities, who are prone to risk associated with dam failure or operational failure. Further, through institutional strengthening component, effectiveness of Dam Safety Organisations will be increased to take the lead to make dams safe from structural and operational point of view through capacity building of staff and officials.
Details:
DRIP envisages following objectives: -
a) Component-I: - Rehabilitation of Dam and its Appurtenant Structures,
b) Component-II: - Institutional Strengthening and
c) Component-Ill: - Project Management.
The Scheme envisages comprehensive rehabilitation of 198 existing dam projects located in seven states of India namely, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand  and Uttarakhand .
Numbers of dams with initial and revised cost submitted by Implementing Agencies are as follows: -
|
|
Implementing Agency
|
|
No. of Project Dams
|
|
Total Initial Project Cost 
|
|
Total Project Revised Cost 
|
|
Madhya Pradesh WRD
|
|
25
|
|
315
|
|
169
|
|
Odisha WRD
|
|
26
|
|
148
|
|
751
|
|
Tamil Nadu WRD
|
|
69
|
|
486
|
|
543
|
|
TANGEDCO
|
|
20
|
|
260
|
|
260
|
|
Kerala WRD
|
|
16
|
|
158
|
|
360
|
|
KSEB
|
|
12
|
|
122
|
|
154
|
|
CWC
|
|
|
|
132
|
|
270
|
|
Karnataka WRD
|
|
22
|
|
276
|
|
581
|
|
UJVNL
|
|
5
|
|
64
|
|
235
|
|
DVC
|
|
3
|
|
139
|
|
143
|
|
Total Cost 
|
|
198
|
|
2100
|
|
3466
Background:
Originally, the total cost of DRIP was Rs. 2100 Crore with State component of Rs. 1968 Crore and Central Component of Rs. 132 Crore. Initially the project was a six-year Project which commenced on 18th April, 2012 with a scheduled closing on 30th June, 2018. The Project implementation has been granted in-principle approval for two years extension in the year 2017 by Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the World Bank with a revised closure date of the project by 30th June 2020.
Ministry of Defence
INDIAN NAVY PARTICIPATES IN MAIDEN TRILATERAL EXERCISE WITH MOZAMBIQUE AND TANZANIA
The first edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise , a joint maritime exercise among the Indian, Mozambique and Tanzanian navies commenced at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on 27 Oct 22. Indian Navy is represented by the guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and MARCOS .
The exercise has three broad objectives: capability development to address common threats through training and sharing of best practices, enhancing interoperability, and strengthening maritime cooperation. The exercise is scheduled over a three-day period from 27 to 29 Oct 22 and includes harbour and sea phases.
As part of the harbour phase, capability building activities such as Visit, Board, Search and Seizure; small arms training; joint diving operations; damage control and fire fighting exercises; and cross deck visits are scheduled. The sea phase include boat operations, fleet manoeuvres, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure operations, helicopter operations, small arms firing, formation anchoring and EEZ patrols.
These exercises reflect India's and the Indian Navy's commitment to enhancing maritime security and cooperation with maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and promoting SAGAR, Safety and Growth for All in the Region.
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Ministry of Finance
Union Finance Minister to hold interactive sessions on Budget 2020 in Kolkata
Kolkata, February 6, 2020
The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman is visiting Kolkata on February 9, 2020. The Finance Minister will meet with industry representatives, trade bodies and tax professionals interact with them on various themes and provisions in the Union Budget 2020-21, presented in Parliament on February 1, 2020. She will also hold another detailed interactive session with eminent industrialist, economists and various other opinion makers regarding the salient features of the Budget.
The Finance Minister will be joined by Secretary , Secretary , Secretary , Secretary , Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes  and Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs .
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Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath reviews India-Russia defence cooperation with Russian Deputy Prime Minister
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed India-Russia defence cooperation with Mr. Yury Borisov, Deputy Prime Minister of Russian Federation in Moscow today. Mr Borisov is the co-chair of the Inter-Governmental Commission with India on Trade & Economic & Scientific Cooperation. He also co-chairs with Raksha Mantri the High Level Committee on Science & Technology. Their discussions on bilateral cooperation and regional issues were very positive and productive.
Raksha Mantri mentioned that despite all the difficulties of the pandemic, India-Russia bilateral relations are keeping good contacts at various levels. India and Russia enjoy Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and defence relationship is one of its important pillars.
Shri Rajnath Singh is on a 3-day visit to Moscow at the invitation of the Russian Defence Minister to attend the 75th Anniversary of Victory Day Parade. Raksha Mantri conveyed his greetings for solemn ceremonies of 75th Victory Day in World War II and congratulated the friendly people of Russia, especially the veterans, who have contributed so much to the common security of India and Russia.
Earlier this morning, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar had discussions with his counterpart, Deputy Defence Minister, Col General Alexander Fomin. They discussed bilateral defence cooperation issues and issues of regional development.
Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare
No state has reported the production of seed of unapproved Bt gene
DAC&FW has issued advisory to all cotton growing states to control and curb the sale and cultivation of unapproved Herbicide Tolerant Cotton
In India, only Bt Cotton is approved for commercial cultivation. Few incidences of illegal marketing of Genetically Modified seeds of Herbicide Tolerant  cotton were reported in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and Maharashtra. However, no state has reported the production of seed of unapproved Bt gene.
Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology set up “Field Inspection and Scientific Evaluation Committee ” in 2017 for on-the spot inspection of the cotton fields to assess the veracity of spread of unapproved HT cotton.
The FISEC submitted its report in May 2018 and made recommendations and action points to be implemented by various central and state government departments and agencies. Short term  and medium term  actions have also been suggested by the committee.
DAC&FW has issued advisory to all cotton growing states to control and curb the sale and cultivation of unapproved HT Cotton vis-à-vis its seed production, processing and storage.
This information was given by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Proactive coordination among States and Railways essential to run more trains for smooth transport of Migrant Workers; District Authorities must give their requirements to Railways
Run more Buses, ensure their Smooth Transition across States and inter-State borders
Create en-route Rest Places with basic amenities for people on foot, till they are guided to bus/rail stations
Dispel rumours, give clarity on train/bus departures: MHA to States
In a communication to the States, Union Ministry of Home Affairs  has noted that fear of COVID-19 infection and apprehension of loss of livelihood are the main driving factors for the movement of stranded workers towards their homes. In order to mitigate the distress of migrant workers, the communication stresses on a number of measures that may be taken by the State governments, pro-actively in coordination with the Centre. These are:
- Operation of more special trains by pro-active coordination between States and with Ministry of Railways;
- Increase in number of buses for transporting migrants; allowing entry of buses carrying migrants at inter-state border;
- More clarity may be given about departure of trains/ buses, as lack of clarity coupled with rumours caused unrest amongst the workers;
- Arrangement of designated rest places, with adequate facilities for sanitation, food and healthcare, could be made by the States on routes where migrants are known to be already travelling on foot;
- District Authorities may guide workers moving on foot to designated rest places, nearby bus terminals or railway stations by arranging transportation;
- Special attention may be given to the specific requirements of women, children and elderly amongst the migrant workers;
- District Authorities may involve NGO representatives at rest places etc, to alleviate the notion of long quarantine at rest places. Workers may also be encouraged to remain at places where they are;
- Enlisting the migrants with their addresses and contact numbers. This may be helpful in contact tracing in due course.
The communication reiterates that District Authorities must ensure that no migrant worker has to resort to walking on roads or railway tracks to reach his/her destination. They may request Ministry of Railways for running trains, as per requirement.
Click here to see Official Communication to States